


Under a Star-Studded Sky

by she_who_the_river_could_not_hold



Series: Fics for t100 Fic for BLM Initiative [2]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Falling In Love, Setting: Guest Ranch, Strangers to Lovers, Teacher!Bellamy, also horse girl!Clarke lol, artist!Clarke, there is past Becho, will add other characters and tags with the update!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:53:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27925585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/she_who_the_river_could_not_hold/pseuds/she_who_the_river_could_not_hold
Summary: A breakup initiated by a wedding, a tumultuous relationship with his wild-child sister –– needless to say that Bellamy Blake’s spring is off to a rocky start. So once summer finally rolls around, and he’s tired of feeling sorry for himself, he knows it’s time to mix things up. Thankfully, a chance encounter leads him to a strange new opportunity. Working at the guest ranch in the mountains is supposed to be a chance to work on himself and his relationship with Octavia.But the daughter of the ranch’s owner, Clarke Griffin, might just prove to be a bigger distraction than he was prepared for, though he wouldn’t say it’s an unwelcome one.
Relationships: Bellamy Blake/Clarke Griffin, Emori/John Murphy (background)
Series: Fics for t100 Fic for BLM Initiative [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2069367
Comments: 10
Kudos: 53
Collections: The t100 Writers for BLM Initiative





	Under a Star-Studded Sky

**Author's Note:**

  * For [the_most_beautiful_broom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_most_beautiful_broom/gifts).



> I’ve had a vague image in my mind for awhile about Clarke and Bellamy meeting in the mountains at a diner and falling in love, but couldn’t quite figure out what I wanted to do with it. Then my parents brought up looking to guest ranches and I immediately had an idea! And then after rambling about it Tumblr, Lindsay from the-most-beautiful-broom was an angel and prompted it through the t100 fic for Black Lives Matter and thus this story was born. It also then grew from a oneshot into a three part story, whoops! If you're new, t100 Fic for BLM Initiative is an initiative where writers and content creators are accepting prompts for donations that help support the BLM cause. If you want to learn more about it, you can check out the carrd for it [here](https://t100fic-for-blm.carrd.co/)!
> 
> A quick disclaimer: while this chapter kicks off with a Becho breakup, there is no negativity towards her character, nor any ill-will towards her on my end as the author. Not that I think it'll happen, but I would like to encourage all comments to be positive and to not worry about that storyline! It's simply a realistic kicking off point for the story that I have in mind.
> 
> The title comes from a Frank Church quote about the Idaho wilderness, as part of the homage to my home state and region that this story setting is inspired by.
> 
> Thanks for checking it out and happy reading!

It wasn’t that Bellamy Blake was opposed to marriage. Finding a person that you wanted to commit to spending the rest of your life with was something that sounded overall like a nice idea. He didn’t believe that he had a soulmate out there or anyone just built for him, but that marriage at its most romantic was when you chose  _ that _ person above all else. That it didn’t matter who else was out there because that one person was all you wanted for the rest of your life. Love wasn’t fate, it was a choice.

So no, Bellamy wasn’t against marriage.

It was the fucking weddings that came with them.

The extravagance that came with them hurt him in an aching sort of way that he had a hard time describing. Coworkers would mention potential costs and his heart would clench, a quick flash of his mother coming home at the crack of dawn with barely any more money that she had before she left. He’d helped clean up after plenty during his one summer working as a cart boy at a country club, noting the amount of wasted food and mess left behind post-reception from the drunken attendees. If the food hadn’t been so ruined by the guests, he would have tried to sneak some home. Instead, it was all thrown away and discarded.

And sitting here now, his head resting against his steering wheel in defeat, he had determined that he also hated how weddings managed to bleed stress into everyone’s lives.

——

To their credit, Murphy and Emori had thrown a small wedding. It had been much more manageable than what Bellamy always pictured when it came to weddings, but even the normally unflappable couple had been stressed. Murphy had slipped into grouchier moods than normal and for the first time since meeting her, Bellamy had seen Emori in a constant state of panic. Even more so than when she’d gone back to get her degree and crammed in studying for finals the same week that the two of them opened up their bar. In the end though, the nerves had either been for nothing or had catapulted the wedding to success.

Not quite a destination wedding, but just far enough to give it that feeling, they’d picked to get married in the mountains just a couple hours outside the bustling city of Mecha. The layers of elevation and vegetation in the distance, just starting to appear out of the depths of winter, had created a picturesque backdrop. It had been casual: strings of lights decorating the barn that the reception had been held in, the smell of barbecue wafting through the air, mixed with the smell of fresh earth in the earliest beginnings of spring. And Murphy had, of course, refused to hire a DJ and instead controlled the music himself.

Bellamy even had admitted to himself early on during the event, beer in hand, that he was actually enjoying himself. Maybe it was different when one of your best friends was the ones getting married. 

But still, the stress leading up to it had managed to worm its way into their group and it was difficult to avoid.

Namely during the reception when Echo had plopped down next to him at the picnic table he was at. Miller and Jackson greeted his girlfriend with a smile and a wave as he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

“Maid of honor duties finally done?” He teased, tugging at the sleeve of her dress gently.

Echo rolled her eyes, pulling her long curls off of her neck and idly braiding it. “I think so, thank god. I’m happy for Emori and I’m still so honored she asked me to be a part of it. But wow, you couldn’t pay me to get married.”

In Bellamy’s defense, he hadn’t meant to choke on his sip of beer. The hops burned his throat as he choked it down, waving off his friends’ concerned expressions. 

The conversation turned to Miller and Jackson joking about which of them was going to be the one to attempt to catch the bouquet, but Bellamy found his attention slipping away. His eyes drifted back over to Echo, watching her as she and Miller exchanged retorts about the athleticism required to catch it. In the golden light from the lowering sun, the new highlights in her hair shone and her cheekbones were even more accented than normal. Her striking beauty, one of the first things he’d noticed about her, and was something that continued to amaze him. But that wasn’t his primary thought as he observed her.

They’d been dating for almost two years now, a long time compared to his past relationships and even longer than people he knew from high school when they had gotten married. But they were progressing at a speed they were both comfortable with. There was no rush to any of this despite what society might expect.

But he couldn’t shake her comment from his mind.

The relief she had at the idea of being done blending into the almost scoff of not even being able to be paid to get married. With anyone else, it could have been an exaggeration. A saying.

Echo was straight-forward though, blunt in her feelings. It was a relief to be around her for that very reason and he had never felt the need to question anything about them since she always laid everything out. It had been better than Gina’s motherly traits and Bree’s flightiness. 

Which gave him the hint that she wasn’t exaggerating. She didn’t have a desire to get married. 

Emori’s stress had blended over to Echo during all of this, he knew that. He’d wholeheartedly agreed with her frustrations over Old Fashions at Murphy’s bar about the craziness of weddings and their extensive planning, even for small ones like their friends. He just hadn’t made the leap to understanding that it was deeper for her than all of that. 

“Are you okay?” 

He blinked a couple times, becoming aware that he had spaced out for a while. Miller and Jackson had disappeared and from afar he could see Emori and Murphy posing for their photographer with the motorcycle they were going to be riding back home after all of this. Echo had leaned towards him, her brow creased in concern and her hand gently on his as she brought him back to reality.

He coughed, clearing his throat and started to nod. He stopped himself though before he could finish it. 

“Do you really not want to get married?” 

Echo’s expression turned owlish at the question and he nearly blushed at the way it had stumbled out of him. 

“Not — not like now of course,” he corrected himself. “I’m not interested in rushing anything. You had made that comment. Is that a  _ now _ thing or…”

He let himself trail off. The implication was clear enough he didn’t need to finish. 

Echo’s face softened as she looked out around them. Bellamy’s eyes trailed hers, taking it all in. The sounds of the reception dying down around them filled the air, distant laughter and blended chatter. A couple people were still dancing and most of the food was gone. In the wedding party’s mind, and even his as well, it had been a successful day.

After a moment, her hand gently squeezed his.

“Family is everything to me, but marriage… marriage isn’t something I see for myself.” Her voice was low, looking over at him again. “I spent so long trying to figure out who I was after years of changing for every person I dated, years of following all of my grandmother’s rules and orders, I can’t imagine it. Even if a relationship is healthy.”

He nodded slowly, taking a small sip of his now warm beer. His own asking about it, followed by his silence, was enough of a declaration of his feelings about the matter. To him, he could say to hell with all of this. A courthouse and a family dinner would be enough, but he still wanted that permanence. A piece of paper didn’t always change things but with his own childhood such a part of his very core even now, he couldn’t get rid of that selfish need for officialness. The desire to be fully committed to someone.

But he understood what she meant. They’d had long conversations over coffee, hair still a mess, sharing in the difficulty of their upbringing. Now it turned out the paths they’d chosen to grow on led them down different arcs. Sometimes that was just life and a conversation he’d have to have with anyone he dated.

The rest of the reception went smoothly, the two of them rejoining the remaining attendants. A couple last songs with rousing choruses from everyone, one last smash of cake in the bride and groom’s faces. Bellamy felt like he was almost in a daze, one foot in, one foot out of it all. He didn’t think they had broken up, not really. But it felt like there was a time stamp on them now. For a later, longer conversation to be held. He couldn’t even hold it against her. They’d never discussed it before so there had been no expectations. Hell, even if she did want to marry he knew it wouldn’t have been for a while. But now it was out in the open and it was like it was pinching his elbow, reminding him that one day it would be a problem. And neither of them deserved to hold each other back from the lives they wanted to live.

He brushed the thoughts aside once everyone waved to the newlyweds, Emori revving the engine of her motorcycle and Murphy letting out a whoop from behind her. Then with middle fingers in the air, marriage not having changed them a bit, the two disappeared down the dirt road that had led them there.

——

The momentary awkwardness between the two of them had ended in Echo telling Bellamy that she was going to stay behind to help clean up with the rest of the party and family members. It had been a silent permission for him to head out on his own and he’d taken it gratefully.

Except then his car had died just as he had gotten down the mountain and he was pulled over by the side of the road, his head resting against his steering wheel while he cursed all weddings in his mind.

It was obviously not the wedding’s fault that he had an old car. It also had only been the catalyst for him and Echo having a conversation they would have needed eventually.

But somehow it all felt like a personal attack on him for actually enjoying a wedding so now he was back to hating weddings and hating himself. 

He blearily looked down at his phone in his lap before remembering there had been practically no service up at the top where the wedding had been held. Which meant he was going to have to wait for Echo or anyone else who had stayed behind to come get him. It was a less than ideal situation and was the icing on the cake for his opinion about all of this. 

Mid-internal rant about even the concept of “destination” weddings, he was interrupted by the sound of someone honking their horn. It was startling close and he jerked his head up, looking out his window.

He had been expecting to see someone he knew from the wedding, but instead saw an unfamiliar green pickup truck next to his. Dried dirt was streaked across the sides, though it looked like it was otherwise well-loved. Curiously, if a bit cautiously, he rolled his window down and the truck mirrored it with the passenger’s side.

Whatever he had been expecting, it wasn’t this.

A young girl, maybe twelve or so, popped her head out of the window and smiled at him. From behind, a blonde woman was peering past her.

“Do you need help?” The girl’s voice was bright and her expression almost mischievous.

Bellamy laughed helplessly and shrugged. Something about her reminded him of Octavia long ago and it brought a grin to his face, despite the strangeness of the situation. “My car died, I figured I’d wait here until either my friends found me or the animals did first.”

It wasn’t one of his better jokes, but the girl’s smile widened and she sat back in her seat as she looked over at the blonde woman. They had a silent conversation before the woman nodded.

“I know the mechanic in town, I could help jump start your car and get you at least there!” She called out and Bellamy gratefully nodded and accepted the help. He watched as she pulled the truck up far enough so that she could turn it around and drive back to face his own engine, all with an ease that showed she knew these mountain roads well. 

Once she was out of the car, he’d been greeted with a better visual of her than just  _ blonde _ . Her hair was almost a white-blonde, messy and chopped just above her shoulders in what looked like an overgrown bob. It was hard to tell at first glance, but he was pretty sure he also saw a faded streak of pink hidden underneath the top layers. The sleeves of her faded blue flannel were rolled up and her boots were just as well-worn and muddy as her car. The funniest part though wasn’t until she was standing beside him with her jumper cables in hand. She was so small that he almost chuckled, her smaller stature almost comical next to the size of her truck and his jeep.

A Shakespeare line about small, fierce women flitted through his mind as they worked together to get his hood up and the cables connected. She carried a confidence with her that was impressive.

It only took two tries before his engine roared back to life after a few sputters. The young girl cheered, sitting up from where she had slumped back into her seat in the truck. Bellamy grinned at her excitement and even the woman smiled, her face lighting up from the serious expression she’d carried beforehand.

“I’m Clarke by the way,” she offered once they’d unhooked the cables.

“Bellamy,” he responded, shaking her hand and once again being impressed by the sureness that she shook his. This was someone who had clearly grown up being taught how to shake someone’s hand. 

“Raven’s shop isn’t too far down; you’d have passed it on your way up. If you want to follow my car, we can drop it off and see what she can do. I’d hate for you to be completely stranded out here,” she said, gesturing around the forest. 

He agreed, still stunned at the luck of someone finding not long after his car had died, and the two cars then made their way back into the smaller town of Polis. As much as he loved his friends, he didn’t want to rely on waiting for their arrival. 

On the way up, he’d barely taken it in. He’d been much more concerned with battling his tie. But now he was able to get a better look at it, taking in the small buildings that started out sparsely before appearing clumped together. It seemed almost frozen in time with faded, retro signs advertising a motel and a small local grocery store. The dirt road turned into a gravel one and then pavement as they turned down one that turned into the main road. He vaguely remembered driving it earlier. Turning down another road a couple more shops popped up, a mixture of old-school general stores, antique shops, and some newer boutique ones. Eventually they reached a diner and a mechanic shop that was right next to it. The parking lot was surprisingly full at the diner for the later hour and Bellamy’s stomach couldn’t help but grumble as he inhaled the smell as he stepped out of his car. They weren’t even near the food and his mouth was watering as they walked into the shop. A crackling radio in the back was playing what sounded like some alternative rock and there was only one car inside. 

Bellamy trailed after Clarke and the young girl, who on the way in had immediately told him that her name was Madi and she was going to go into seventh grade in September. That was all she’d said though before darting to catch up with Clarke who was calling out into the shop, who he was assuming was her mom or caregiver. She seemed almost too young, but you never really knew people’s ages nor background. Bellamy wasn’t too interested in judging either way.

Clarke called out a second time and she was answered by the sound of wheels scraping against cement. Then a face appeared above the car that was in there, followed by a  _ “yeah yeah yeah Griffin, I heard you the first time.” _

The face that greeted them was all angles compared to the soft roundness of Clarke’s. It seemed only accented by the sleek ponytail keeping her hair out of the woman’s face, though her smile for them was easy going. 

“Oh! You brought me new business,” she exclaimed when her eyes settled on Bellamy. “I knew I’d done too good of a job on that truck of yours for you to already need more help already.” 

Wiping grease onto her faded gray jeans, she reached her hand out to shake his. Hers was just as firm as Clarke’s, and Bellamy found himself thankful that he was already surrounded by strong women in his life otherwise. A guarantee most of the douche bags he went to college with would have felt pathetically threatened. 

“Raven Reyes. Welcome to my shop, what’s the problem?”

Her brisk tone was all business, so he quickly launched into describing how his car had died and then been resurrected by Clarke. She began to poke around his car as he explained how long he’d had it and even as she quickly moved, he could tell that she was processing everything he said.

Finally, when he was out of information for her, he hung back and watched as she investigated. Clarke and Madi were talking quietly to each other and when he approached them, Clarke nodded in his direction. He tried to not overthink the idea that they’d been talking about him. But it didn’t appear to be bad though as Madi excitedly walked up to him, her hands clasped around what looked like a handful of cash.

“Clarke said you’re definitely not from around here and I said that means you need to try some of Harper’s pie,” she explained to him. “What do you say? They’re in the diner right next to us, so you don’t have to get your suit dirty.”

He laughed and ran his hand through his hair.

“I think even if I ruined my suit, a slice of pie sounds worth it.” 

With an encouraging nod from Clarke and a distracted wave from Raven (whose head was currently deep in the front of his car), the two of them walked out of the garage and over to the diner. 

The sign in front, ‘The Dropship,’ flickered in and out slightly in the rapidly darkening evening and as if sensing his curiosity, Madi piped up next to him. 

“Apparently at one point one of the owners had made it space and alien themed. It didn’t go over well but by the time they sold it to Monty and Harper, everyone was too used to the name to change it. So they just made it all back to a classic dinner but kept the name the same.” She continued to ramble about the history of it until they were seated at the bar. 

“Huckleberry’s the best, but you’re welcome to pick any flavor,” she whispered to him as a woman with long, sandy blonde hair walked up to them. 

“Hey Madi,” the woman grinned. “Who’s your friend?” She glanced at Bellamy curiously and took in his somewhat disheveled appearance and now rumpled suit with curiosity.

“This is Bellamy. His car broke down, so Clarke is getting Raven to help fix it and now he gets to hang out with me. I told him that you had the best pies compared to everyone else.” Madi’s upbeat rambling made Bellamy smile, flashbacks of growing up with Octavia managing to worm their way into his mind. For once he didn’t shake them away.

“It’s nice to meet you Bellamy, I’m Harper.” She nodded towards an Asian man in the kitchen, checking in on orders with a distracted look on his face. “That’s Monty, my husband and we own The Dropship. The usual?” She slid her gaze over back towards Madi, who in turn looked over at Bellamy.

“Two slices of huckleberry pie please,” he said with a smile and a wink at Madi. She let out a cheer and he could feel his bad mood continuing to dissipate compared to earlier.

From there, the evening slipped into a comfortableness Bellamy hadn’t expected. Had he really just been at Murphy and Emori’s wedding earlier that day? The heaviness that had been sinking onto his shoulders after his conversation with Echo was lightening, the welcome distraction of new people temporarily alleviating it. He didn’t want to think about the inevitable conversation they’d have to have. He knew that he’d be kept up for nights, overthinking what it meant about each of them, so for now he was happy to embrace this strange new experience.

It turned out that Madi wasn’t wrong –– it was the best damn pie he’d ever had.

He was also pretty sure it was homemade ice cream with it too.

Harper smiled brightly when he made sure to pass his compliments along to her. If it hadn’t been for the fact he’d eaten at the reception, he would have loved to try the towering plate of onion rings that passed by them on the counter at one point.

“I’m glad to hear it! This one,” she pointed at Madi, “is a walking advertisement for us. I can’t count how many people she sends this way.” 

Madi shrugged as if it was no big deal to her. Which at her age, it probably wasn’t.

“It’s true though and if people are hungry, then they should come here! Support local and all of that,” she tacked on, as if reciting a line she’d heard from someone else before. Even with just having spent a few minutes with Clarke, Bellamy had a feeling he’d heard it from her. 

Harper filled in a bit more of the history of the place while asking Bellamy about what he did. Her and Monty had been high school sweethearts from a town nearby, both deciding to stay nearby rather than leaving. Apparently the huckleberries, along with a lot of the foods, were grown in their own gardens. She almost added on about another type of produce they grew before she paused, catching Madi’s eye before just grinning at Bellamy. That gave him a good laugh.

“Think you can box up a couple of extra slices to go?” A voice floated over between the laughter, making the three of them turn to see that Clarke had arrived at the diner. 

She was smiling at the sight of it, reaching over and ruffling Madi’s hair as she stepped up.

“For you? Always. Does your mom have a preference for a flavor?”

“She asked for peach cobbler this time, to make up for the early frost last year that killed them.”

While they waited for the extra slices to be packaged up, Clarke absentmindedly began to braid Madi’s hair a bit before looking back over at Bellamy.

“Raven said it shouldn’t be much longer on your car, she actually has the part for a new starter motor, or something along those lines. I’m sorry I’m not a better mechanic translator,” she said with a huff of embarrassed laughter.

He brushed her apology off. “As long you didn’t come in saying I was trapped here for days, you’re delivering all the news I need to hear.” 

This time it was Monty who came out of the kitchen, proudly delivering the boxes of pie to Clarke. He introduced himself to Bellamy as well, who followed up by once again explaining the strange series of events that had brought him tonight. It gave everyone a good chuckle and Monty recognized the area that the wedding had taken place at, so he was able to go into a bit more detail about the venue as well.

Eventually, after Madi unsuccessfully hid a yawn, Clarke apologized and announced that it was time for them to head back.

“It was great getting to meet you, Bellamy, I hope your luck turns around after a day like today,” she told him warmly, and with her it felt like a genuine statement. He thanked her and Madi for helping him and his car, reassuring Madi that she was totally correct about huckleberry being the best flavor. Bellamy then waved at the two of them as they left the diner, now disappearing into the darkness. It made him realize how late it had become, the spring daylight still disappearing early.

He knew it was probably time to get going, he could wait out the rest of the time for his car in Raven’s shop so that he was able to leave as soon as it was done. 

He moved to grab his wallet to pay, but Monty shook his head. 

“I can’t let you put it on the house,” Bellamy quickly protested. His words faded though as Monty grinned. 

“It’s not. Clarke called ahead, it’s on her family’s tab,” he responded smoothly. At Bellamy’s expression, he quickly added, “Don’t look at it like it’s charity. She saw someone down on their luck and wanted to just make up for your car breaking down.”

It seemed honest enough, so despite all of his instincts, he let his wallet settle back into his pocket. Octavia had always told him he was bad at accepting people’s help and he’d always known that was true, but he was working on it. This was just another step in that process.

“Well since she left before I could thank her, please make sure to let her know I appreciate it whenever you see her again,” was all that he could settle on. Monty seemed to accept that though and he returned to ringing up people’s orders. 

Bellamy hadn’t meant to let his expression fall back into a somber one, but the longer he sat by himself the more time he had to think about what was coming up for him. The inevitable breakup conversation and the process that came with that. Wrapping up prepping for the school year and trying to bury himself in that while struggling to get in touch with his sister. It was suddenly beginning to feel daunting and he dropped his head into his hands with a groan.

“I know this isn’t a traditional bar, but you’re welcome to use me as a sounding board.”

Monty had wandered back over from the register and was leaning against the counter, starting at him intently. He said it in a way that made it feel like this was a common situation for him. And in any other universe, Bellamy would have just smiled and said no thank you. But everyone here in this small mountain town had already been more than helpful and well… he was tired okay? 

“I think my long-time girlfriend and I are about to breakup. And I just came from a wedding that reminded me how stressful weddings are. And just in general, life feels like it’s not on my side.”

Monty gave him a leveling look. 

“Sounds like you need to get away for a bit, clear your head of everything.” The honest evaluation from someone who he’d barely met was surprising and also almost amusing.

When he didn’t respond right away, Monty shifted over towards the front of the bar near the cash register. Bellamy hadn’t noticed it right away, but there was a stack of brochures beside it. He surmised at first glance of them that maybe more tourists came in here than he’d expected. Monty then slid back over, dropping one in front of him. Bellamy picked it up, his thumb gliding across the glossy finish as he looked down on a photo of a group of people riding horses in the mountains. He looked back up at Monty apprehensively. 

“Horse camp?”

The man laughed lightly. 

“A dude ranch. Or well, a guest ranch. Think agrotourism: people get to stay at a ranch and enjoy the outdoors, but all guided by people who know a lot more about it than you,” Monty prompted. 

Bellamy opened up the brochure and let out a low whistle.

It certainly was beautiful. The brochure was laid in a clean way, highlighting photos from the different experiences that were offered there, the cabins that guests stayed in, and the picturesque views. But something tugged at Bellamy’s gut, a feeling he’d often had in high school when classmates would brag about experiences they’d been able to have during vacations –– all things he’d never had the chance to. He knew an expensive thing when he saw it.

He cleared his throat. “This is,” he gestured at the brochure helplessly, “amazing looking. I just don’t know, you know, as a teacher…” 

Clarity dawned on Monty’s face and he nodded understandably. But then he went against what Bellamy was assuming, and he reached over and snagged a to-go menu from the front of the counter. Then as Bellamy continued to look on in surprise, he pulled a pen out of his back pocket and began to scrawl something on the back of the menu.

“If it’s something you really think would help you, go ahead and give them a call. The ranch usually accepts volunteers to work there during the summer for the different jobs and such. I’m pretty sure you can either work there in exchange for a big discount or even for sure, but don’t quote me on it. Use me as a reference and tell them I recommend you, either as a guest or a temporary employee.”

He slid over the menu and on it was his instructions written out, with the addition of his name and the phone number to the diner.

“This seems like a lot for a stranger,” was about all Bellamy could manage to say.

Monty shrugged at that.

“Clarke would have never let you come in here with Madi if you weren’t a trustworthy person.”

The statement startled Bellamy and he flushed at the honesty.

He didn’t know how to respond to that. Pleased though, that someone saw that in him, even just a stranger.

“Thank you, then for the suggestion,” Bellamy finally said, shoving the brochure into his pocket. He’d have to remember to take it out before he washed the suit.

After another round of prolonged goodbyes, making sure to call out to Harper who was standing at a table in the back, Bellamy finally made his way back out of the diner. The temperature had dropped, and the crispness of the night air made his shoulders drop in relaxation as he made his way back over to the shop for his car.

From the good, the wedded bliss, and the bad, he certainly was going to have strange memories connected to this day.

——

That night at the dinner became just a blip on Bellamy’s radar.

It had to; his entire life was shifting into a new gear. Or an old one really, one that he hadn’t experienced in years. He couldn’t actually remember the last time he’d been single.

The breakup with Echo went about as well as a breakup could. They respected each other too much to ask the other person to go against how they wanted to live. Of course, they did go into more detail. And Echo really,  _ really  _ didn’t want to get married. Which made him realize how much he wanted to (at least minus the wedding shenanigans). They had a good laugh about the lack of a middle ground there. Bittersweet was still the best word to describe the conversation though. And that only became an ache once she’d moved out a couple weeks later, new empty spots cropping up around the small two-bedroom place.

The pang that settled into his stomach wasn’t regret. They were still going to be friends, but she still had been a fixture of his life. Plus, it meant he was single now. And even though it hadn’t been an overwhelming amount of time since he’d tried dating, it still somehow felt long enough that he didn’t even know what to do. Or where to start, since he certainly wasn’t about to download an app. 

So instead of thinking too much about that, and how much he enjoyed having someone else around, he dove into his lesson planning for the upcoming school year.

It was definitely the fastest he’d ever been able to progress on it.

He even toyed with the idea of the novel he’d had in mind for a few years now. Always putting it off, he’d claimed he had too much else going on. He didn’t really, it was just his fear of failure. But now his evenings were clear and watching movies by himself still felt strange, so it was an appealing idea.

But then the emptiness that was following him, to the point of Miller lecturing him, was interrupted by the arrival of his younger sister.

Octavia arrived in her usual hurricane. When he opened the door after a sharp knock from her end, the two of them stared at each other for a drawn-out moment before he beckoned her in. 

The fact that their mother’s death had cracked open their relationship seemed weird to people on the outside. He’d practically raised O himself, what difference did it ultimately make? 

But that wasn’t how it went down. Years of built-up resentment spilled over, sweeping away their fragile relationship with each other and forming a distant, cold one in its place. They didn’t know how to be siblings again, not after balancing that role with that of a parent and child as well. But neither were children anymore and there was no stand-in mother figure anymore to pretend that they were a functioning family. 

She’d left another disastrous relationship and this time she didn’t have a place to go, unceremoniously kicked out by her latest ex. Bellamy thought she’d said his name was Levitt at one point, but he couldn’t be sure. He just called him the “religion guy” in his head. Well, whatever it was that he’d practiced, it hadn’t rubbed off on Octavia. Not that he probably hadn’t tried, her free-spiritedness always drew people in but made it difficult for them in the long run if they weren’t prepared.

The thing about getting older, Bellamy realized as Octavia slammed the door to the second bedroom shut, was that you start to realize that a lot of relationships just end and that’s it.

Octavia was a senior in college, so he agreed to letting her spend the rest of her summer at his place, but it was on their third night of fighting that he almost regretted it.

Not quite, but almost.

_ “Echo was too good for you anyway.” _

_ “I thought you hated her?” _

_ “Whatever.” _

Deep down, Bellamy knew they were probably both still grieving in their own way. And Octavia even more so, grieving a mother she’d never really had.

He just wished they didn’t know how to get under each other’s skin so easily. She knew each perfect button to press to ignite his frustration, his anger. As if she wanted to provoke him into bearing the overbearing big brother he’d been for so long. But then he’d remind her of her childishness. When it was a really bad night, something would trigger the memory of Lincoln and they’d both go to bed with the silent treatment as they struggled with that painful memory. On less bad nights, they’d bicker over the movie selection like normal siblings.

It was a roller coaster. And still fresh from the breakup, it wasn’t quite the distraction he had wanted.

But then one night, flipping through the channels on the TV while Octavia ignored him to do her laundry, he passed the  _ National Geographic _ channel. He wasn’t sure what the episode was on, but it featured high quality camera views of a mountain range. By the time it shifted to some type of mountain goat, his mind had already switched focus. To a shiny brochure with a photo of horses and bullet points promising the perfect, mountain getaway. 

He dug into his book bag, pushing aside stray crumpled bills, faded receipts, and a dog-eared book until he found what he was looking for.

Arkadia Creek Guest Ranch.

He’d shoved it in here after getting home from the diner. The brochure had dodged the worst of his chaotic cramming of items in it, just the top corner creased downward. The people on the cover were still on their horses, still riding away into nature without a care in the world. 

He remembered the few trips the Blake family had taken when he was younger, back when Octavia’s dad was still in the picture. The four of them crammed into his deathtrap of a car, the air conditioning always broken, as they drove to the small park area just outside of town. Sweat always made Bellamy’s back stick to the leather seats and the picnic lunches they’d packed were never truly cold, nor devoid of the lingering cigarette smoke the man had always carried with him, but it was still a brief time of freedom he’d clung to. Little Octavia, sprinting ahead on the trail and shrieking to Bellamy that she was going to race him. There was no elevation to those trails, nothing fancy. But it had been fresh air and a way for the two of them to run out their energy somewhere other than the house.

Though his later memories of those trips were tainted by the alcoholic spiral that eventually divorced his mom and the man, Bellamy could still almost feel the scent of the pine needles tickling his nose.

He was calling Murphy before he’d fully even acknowledged his plan. Let alone run it by Octavia first.

“You’re nuts man,” was his friend’s response. 

But the humor was there in Murphy’s voice, even with the hustle of the bar in the background.

“So I shouldn’t go?”

“Definitely not what I said. But hey, if a couple weeks of nature can get you to jump start your life again, I say go for it. Ride those horses.”

Bellamy groaned into his hand.

“How do you make something like that seem so dirty,” he muttered more to himself than Murphy. Before his friend could retort though, the phone was snatched by Emori.

“Hey Bell,” she said brightly, her voice filtering through. Somewhere in the background, a door shut and the sounds of the bar became muted. “I only heard a snippet of your conversation, but I think you should go.”

She sounded determined to convince him.

“You really think so?”

“I mean…” she paused briefly, “…is this about getting over Echo?”

Bellamy hummed in response. Emori and Echo were close, an unexpected (then not-so unexpected) surprise of their friend group merging. He was thankful it had happened; Echo had told him early on that she’d grown up pretty isolated from friends. He realized he hadn’t thought about what the two of them would have said about him.

As if reading his mind, Emori quickly added: “She’s doing well by the way. I’m not sure how much you two talk.”

He drummed his fingers on his leg.

“Occasionally, we want to practice not having the dependence on each other right now. Make it easier.”

“Smart. I know we’re all glad you guys aren’t letting it make things weird for the rest of us,” she teased lightly. “But honestly, I say this with full confidence, that I think getting away would be good for you. You both operate differently; I don’t think this deep dive into just work is going to help you in the long run.” 

“Are you sure it’s not weird?”

“I highly doubt you wouldn’t have been told about it if it wasn’t a real opportunity.”

Emori was right, as usual.

“You know, I’m glad Murphy married you.”

She let out a full-throated laugh at that. “I’ll make sure to tell him that when he kicks me out of the kitchen like usual, claiming I’m somehow ruining the dinner.” She grew more serious again though after a beat. “But really Bellamy, I think it’s a good idea. Get some fresh air. Take Octavia. It’s a new experience and it’ll clear your mind. And hey, give you a fun a story for your class in the fall!”

He chuckled before thanking her profusely, passing along his love to Murphy and clicking his phone off.

It didn’t take much consideration after that, slowly spinning in his office chair before coming to a conclusion.

That night at dinner, he brought it up to Octavia.

She paused, midway to taking a bite of her spaghetti, and looked at him curiously.

“A guest ranch?”

“Yeah. We’d work there, but the first week is just the employees so it’s a mini vacation before everything starts. I feel like it could be good for us. Plus, you always liked being outside, doing physical work.”

He wet his lips nervously. Now that he’d thought about it enough, he was really thinking it could be a good idea.

At first, she just blinked at him.

But then a slow smile began to form on her face.

“That actually sounds… really cool. Sure, let’s do it.”

Even with just that, some of the tension in the room lifted. They finished their dinner in higher spirits, finally easing into a normal conversation about the classes Octavia was signed up the next semester. Bellamy felt a twinge of guilt, realizing he hadn’t asked her yet. Maybe this wouldn’t just be good for them on their own but giving attention to their own relationship with each other.

So with that in mind, he spent the next morning calling the ranch up while he made coffee. A cheery girl named Maya answered and he stumbled over his explanation about wanting to work there. Saying “Monty” though seemed to be the secret password though, because her already bright voice perked up even more and she happily took down his information and gave him more details about the experience they could expect. 

It was a blur and when Bellamy eventually hung up, an entire page worth of notes on the notepad he’d had to scramble to grab, he was both extremely excited and nervous.

In a month and a half, he and Octavia would be heading to the mountains for two weeks. He didn’t always like to be too optimistic, but he had a really good feeling about the decision and what was to come.

**Author's Note:**

> You can check out the moodboard for this fic [ here on my Tumblr!](https://she-who-the-river-could-not-hold.tumblr.com/post/636801822569398272/under-a-star-studded-sky-a-bellarke-modern-au)
> 
>  **where else you can find me:** [Tumblr](https://she-who-the-river-could-not-hold.tumblr.com/) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/the_river_held) | [my carrd](https://she-who-the-river-could-not-hold.carrd.co/)


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